Art Berke, a lifelong White Sox fan, has worked at the highest levels of the sports industry with Major League Baseball, ABC Television and Sports Illustrated. He grew up in Northwest Indiana, in the shadow of old Comiskey Park, and proudly proclaims 2005 as the best year of his life. Art offers his glass half-full opinions and observations as he lives and dies with the Sox.

Jake Reaches Important Milestone; Rios Says “We’re the Team to Beat”

There will undoubtedly will be more to talk about from Camelback Ranch starting tomorrow when the full White Sox squad reports for work.

Today, the last official day of pitchers and catchers (although many position players have reported early), Jake Peavy took an important step toward his recovery and early arrival Alex Rios expressed his confidence in the 2011 Sox.

In Peavy’s case, it was the first time he faced hitters since his right shoulder injury on last

July 6. And it felt good even though he’s only 75 percent. Here’s what he said:

“…Today is a fun day and a big day for you because there’s certainly times when you think you’ll never do what I did today again.”

While Peavy was making progress, centerfielder Alex Rios, coming off a terrific season where he slammed 21 homers, drove in 84 runs and batted .284, sounded pretty confident about his team’s chances.

“We’re the team to beat. We have good additions to the team,” Rios told reporters. “The core is solid, and with the additions, we’re even stronger. I think we’re going to give a hard time to a lot of people out there.”

Let’s hope he’s right.

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Rio just looked like a completely different hitter once he got out of that dreadful Toronto sky blue uniform. I know the clothes did not have anything to do with it, but his confidence just seemed to sore, and he actually smiled in the outfield.
Sometimes a guy gets a chance somewhere else and he shines. Rios was a great outfielder in 2010, and I expect with another year of being even more comfortable with this White Sox game plan, he will take yet another step forward.

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